Hot Property: Berkeley home features hardwood finishes

Updated 4:36 pm, Friday, August 23, 2013

This five-bedroom Berkeley home at 596 Euclid Ave. was built in 1938 and is offered at $2.195 million.

This five-bedroom Berkeley home at 596 Euclid Ave. was built in 1938 and is offered at $2.195 million.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The home's living room features parquet floors and hardwood moldings.

The home's living room features parquet floors and hardwood moldings.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley has 3.5 bathrooms and is available for $2.195 million.

596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley has 3.5 bathrooms and is available for $2.195 million.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The five-bedroom home was built in 1938.

The five-bedroom home was built in 1938.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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Hardwood floors and intricate moldings can be found throughout the five-bedroom Berkeley home.

Hardwood floors and intricate moldings can be found throughout the five-bedroom Berkeley home.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The backyard deck has views of San Francisco Bay.

The backyard deck has views of San Francisco Bay.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The foyer showcases the architectural finishes, such as the arched doorways, found throughout the home.

The foyer showcases the architectural finishes, such as the arched doorways, found throughout the home.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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A terrace in front of the home features an iron railing and overlooks a verdant landscape.

A terrace in front of the home features an iron railing and overlooks a verdant landscape.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The kitchen includes custom cabinets, dual ovens and a workspace.

The kitchen includes custom cabinets, dual ovens and a workspace.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The remodeled eat-in chef's kitchen is adorned with a decorative backsplash and copper exhaust hood.

The remodeled eat-in chef's kitchen is adorned with a decorative backsplash and copper exhaust hood.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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A stone surround with intricate detailing highlights the fireplace in the living room.

A stone surround with intricate detailing highlights the fireplace in the living room.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The master bathroom includes a powder area and decorative tile work.

The master bathroom includes a powder area and decorative tile work.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley, as seen from the street.

596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley, as seen from the street.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The formal dining room features hardwood floors and moldings, as well as decorative arches.

The formal dining room features hardwood floors and moldings, as well as decorative arches.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The garden of 596 Euclid Ave. includes an built-in barbecue.

The garden of 596 Euclid Ave. includes an built-in barbecue.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The office of 596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley features hardwood finishes and doors leading outside.

The office of 596 Euclid Ave. in Berkeley features hardwood finishes and doors leading outside.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The entryway is decorated by a rustic tile floor and elaborate staircase.

The entryway is decorated by a rustic tile floor and elaborate staircase.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The lower level of the home offers its own living room with wet bar, as well as a kitchen.

The lower level of the home offers its own living room with wet bar, as well as a kitchen.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The master suite looks out at San Francisco Bay through a series of rectangular windows.

The master suite looks out at San Francisco Bay through a series of rectangular windows.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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The backyard includes a hot tub, built-in barbecue and grass pad.

The backyard includes a hot tub, built-in barbecue and grass pad.

Photo: Liz Rusby/The Grubb Co.

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Hot Property: Berkeley home features hardwood finishes

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In addition to location, curb appeal is a key quality for any home. With several terraces, leaded windows and Art Deco archways, 596 Euclid Ave. in the Berkeley hills demands attention.

Built in 1938, the Mediterranean home boasts hand-carved details inside and out, as well as a modern kitchen and lower level that could be used as a guest house or income unit. The home's 3 1/2 bathrooms reflect the period during which the home was constructed, while the hardwood doors and archways have been maintained or fully restored.

"This home was made during a great period for craftsmanship and building," said Susie Schevill of The Grubb Co., who is co-listing the house with Anne Van Dyke for $2.195 million. "Each board is carefully nailed, and tremendous thought and pride was put into the home's development."

The agents marvel at the Woolenius tile fireplace in the living room, Art Deco arches throughout the home and doors with intricate circular patterns carved out of the hardwood.

"That design is very particular to the house," Schevill said. "Anne and I are in homes throughout Berkeley and see all types of craftsmanship, but we haven't seen that pattern before."

A major highlight is the tile surround for the fireplace in the stately living room. The slip-glazed tiles were made by the Woolenius Tile Co., headed by Chicago native Charles Elsenius. Handmade Woolenius tiles can be found in homes throughout the Bay Area, especially in the flatlands of the East Bay, wrote Riley Doty in "California Tile: The Golden Era 1910-1940."

Other original elements, such as the tile on the staircase, entryway and an outdoor terrace, date to the late 1930s. The Realtors learned the tiles came from a company named Handcraft in Milpitas when an expert toured the home shortly before it went on the market. The amber- and brick-colored tiles add a rustic element to the high-end construction of the five-bedroom, three-level home. Tiles embedded in the staircase feature intricate carvings with hues of green, navy blue and beige.

French doors with leaded glass open to a terrace off the home office that looks at mature trees and the home's landscaped surroundings.

The redesigned eat-in kitchen features hardwood moldings, stainless steel finishes and built-in shelving. A work area designed to house a computer sits near one of the two sinks and across the kitchen from the stainless steel range with copper exhaust hood.

Behind the cooktop is a decorative tile backsplash with a built-in stone archway, making the whole setup appear to have been plucked from a Tuscan kitchen.

Panels of rectangular windows in the master bedroom look directly at San Francisco Bay, and the room includes an en suite bathroom.

A roof deck also looks out at the salt water, while a staircase leads directly to the landscaped backyard, which includes a spa and outdoor kitchen.

"You see a lot of Craftsman homes in Berkeley," Schevill said. "I'd say this one is a custom home that's been maintained and restored along the way."

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